Method of forming hat-packing rings



March 27 1928. 1,663,762

' W. C. JOHNSON METHOD OF FORMING HAT PACKING RINGS Filed July 19 1927 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED stares a a" ar Farce.

WILLIAM C..J'OH1\TSON, OF BETHEL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNCR, TO THE CLARK BOX COM- .PANY, F DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

warrior or FORMING HA.'r-raoirrne'lenses;v

Application filed July 19,

Mens and boys? hats when packed in card board boxes for storing and transportation to dealers are separated from each other by cardboard rings placed between the brims of l the hats. In order to prevent the brims from becoming chafed the edges of the rings are widened by curling them outward,

This invention relates to a method of forming such rings. 7 I

, The cardboard from which these rings are made must be treated so that it will assume the necessary annular shape with both edges curled. A flat strip of cardboard'can easily be formed into annular shape, and the edges 15 of a fiat strip of cardboard can be readily curled, but to obtain from a fiat strip of V cardboard the annular shape with unwrinkled curled and elastic edgesis not a simple problem. I

The object of this invention is to provide a process whereby hat packing rings can be produced from cardboard commercially in quantities with large and very smooth curls, termed balloon curls, that will not chafc the 95 I hat brims when in use.

' In-carrying out this invention the edges of a continuous strip of cardboard are first wet by passing the strip between rolls which run in water. This water soaks and softens the edges of the strips. The strip with its edges wet is then passed through a steamer which further softens the edges so that they will be in condition tostretch and curl and also softens the body between the edges to such an extent that it will readily assume the annular shape. When in this condition the strip is passed through a curler and between rolls which set the curls and curve the curled strip into annular form.

40 In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically an apparatus by which the process which embodies this invention may be practiced. Fig. 2 shows a plan of the rolls which wet the edges of the strip. Fig. 3 shows a section of the steam box. Fig. 4 shows an elevation of the set ting and smoothing rolls. Fig. 5 is a plan of a completed ring. Fig. 6 is a section of the completed ring.

A flat strip of cardboard 1 from which these rings are to be formed is taken from a roll 2 and passed between rolls 3 which are adjusted to press against the opposite edges only of the strip. These rolls are mounted to turn in a tank 4 containing wa- 1927. Serial at. 206,820.

ter, preferably cold water. After passing between these rolls which wet the edges the flat strip is immediatelypassed through a long steam box 5. This box may haveany desired. cross-sectional shape and is provided with a pipe doonnected w1th any source of supply for filling the box with steam. After passing through this steaming box the strip is led through a curler 7 which turns out the softened edges, and around a roll 8 and beneath rolls 9, 10 and 11 which press the curls and curve. the curled strip curled and bent into circular form it is cut off and one end is tucked beneath the curls of the other end to retain it in annular shape, as illustrated at 12 on Fig. 5. y

By the practice of this method large smooth curls 13 are formed on the edges of the annular cardboard ring 14. The water treatment first wets the edges of the strip and softens them. The steam treatment fur thersoftens the edges of the strip as the steam penetrates into the wet, edges very quickly, and the steamv treatment also, of course, to an extent softens the body 15 between the edges of the strip so that it will readily assume annular shape. As the steam heats the strip, the curled ring when formed quickly dries and becomes set. By the double softening of the edges of thestrip those edges can be readily stretched and before they become cooled and set they can be turned over and smoothed down to form open curls which provide the desired wide bearing surface for the hat brims, that could not be produced by simply wetting the edges of the strip with water or by merely steaming the strip.

The invention claimed is: 1. The method of forming hat packing ringswith curled edges which consists in moistening the edges only of a continuous flat cardboard strip with liquid, then subjecting the entire surface of the strip to the action of a hot vapor, and finally curling the edges and curving the stripwith the curled edges into annular shape.

2. The-method of forming hat packing rings with curled edges which consists in me I wetting the edges of a continuous flat cardboard strip with Water, then steaming the entire surface of the fiat strip with its Wet edges, and finally curling the edges and curving the strip with the curled edges int-0 circular shape. 7

3. The method of forming hat packing rings with curled edges which consists in passing the edges of the strip between rolls turning in Water, then passing the strip through a chamber filled With steam, curling the edges of the strip and by rotative pressure curving and setting the strip with the curled edges into an annular form.

WILLIAM C. J OHN SON. 

